When a Japanese thinks about summer , one of the images that comes to mind  is that of a blindfolded child being given a long stick .  The brat then endeavors  to smash open a watermelon but more often than not delivers a painful blow to the foot of an unfortunate adult. By the way , here in Japan it is popular to eat  watermelon with a generous amount of salt .

Here in Japan , salt is  not only used on watermelons. It is also used to ward off evil or bad luck .  That is what the Sumo guys are doing in these photos . When you go to a Japanese funeral you are always given a little plastic bag that contains salt . When you return home from the funeral you must sprinkle it on yourself to ensure that nothing unfortunate happens in the near future .